Aerial-navigation machine.



W. W. ROBERTS. AERIAL NAVIGATION MAOHINE.

996,366. v APPAAAATION AILEDVABPTJB, 1910- Patented June 27,'1911.'

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W. W. ROBERTS. AERIAL NAVIGATION MACHINE. APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 1a, 1910.

Patented Ju'ne 27, 1911.

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wALrER'w. ROBERTS, orsEArrLE, WASHINGTON.

AERIAL-NAVIGATION MACHINE.

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Specication of Letters Patent. Patented June 27, 1911.

Applicationled September 1 6, 1910. Serial No. 582,366.

l To all 'whom 'it concern: f

lBe it known that I, WALTER W. ROBERTS,

residingat Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented a new and-Improved AerialNavigation Ma- (tzhne, of which the following is a specificaion. l My invention relates tocthe art 'of aerial navigation and particularly of that type of an* ships of the heavier than air variety, and more specifically it relates to the heli?. copter type of aerial navigation machines.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved construction of elevating and sustaining propeller mechanism whereby to obtain a greater' efliciency in lifting power, and it also'includes certain improvefY ments inthe general construction of machine and the manner ofv controlling .the

Same.

In its more subordinate nature, the `invention also resides in those novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first de'- scribed in detail, and then -be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings, in which :.-V

Figure 1, is .a perspective view .showing my machine in flight. Fig. 2, is a central, vertical, longitudinal section of the machine. Fig. 3, isa detail perspective view of a part of the machine. Fig. 4, is a detail horizontal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5, is a detail'horizontal sectionl on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.- Fig. 6, is a detail perspective view of a part of the lifting and sustaining propellers, a part of the pro.

.peller coverings being removed. Y R ferrin now to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals and letters-indicatelike parts in all of the figures, the

main or `ke frame is composed of suitable longitudinal bars-141 and 5 5, cross braced by Across bars 25-2 and 6 6 and vertical brace bars 7 7. The keel frame also includes a pair of longitudinal bars 3-3 o'n which a shiftahle aviators seat 4 is mounted.

The engine 8, which may he of any approvedshape or construction, 1s mounted at the -forward end of the machine on the keel frame i A bracket 9 may7 be provided withbearings 10 in. which the shaft 1l of theprol peller '1la may be mounted. The propeller 11a is preferably used to drive the machine in its movements forwardly and may be driven through gears l2 from the engine shaft 1.3. I

The engine 8 is providedl with the usual iyawheel 14 and in order that its speed may be controlled a suitable strap brake 17 is provided which is operated through the medium of a controlling wheel 16 andbrake applying devices 154 in any approved manner. It should also be understood that the engine speed is controlled inthe usual manner, as by advancing the Spark, varying the compression, Vor any other method used in practical gasolene engine operation and the strap brake 17 is used for very close .regulation as would be needed in starting and landing. I

A)M'ounted on suitable supports 18 are levers 20 that are pivoted on the supports at 21 and carry thetraction wheels 19, buffer de vices 22 being provided to absorb the shock,

as .will be readily understood byreference.

to Figs. `1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. I

23 is a direction rudder which -is hinged on the vertical aXi's and has a crank-24 to whichl the connecting rod 25 is. fastened, the

rod 25 connecting with the rudder controllin lever 26 that is mounted adjacent to the avlatorsseat 4. The lever mechanism 26 may ,be of any approved type and thev .forward flight.

. 31 is what I term a compensating rudder which is mounted on a longitudinal horizontal axis is provided with "a crank A32 which isconnected through transmission rods and ,cranks 33-34-35 with a controlling lever 36 of 'any desired type.

37 and38-are main bearings mounted in j the keel frame tosustain the vert-ical pro- A peller shafts.

The shaft one of the main bearings 37 andcarries a rigidly'securelgear 40 that meshes with a ,Y pinion" 13- on the engine shaft whereby the motion of the engine shaft will be imparted to thelshaft'39, ball bearings 41 being provided between the" gear 40 and the bearing 37 and ballbearings 42 being provided be- V tween the gear 40 :andy the hollow propeller alsovmeshes with the pinion 13a' to cause the shaft`43. The shaftv 43 turns on shaft 39 and carries a rigidly secured gear 44 which shaft 43 to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction ofrotation of the shaft 39, ball bearings 45'beingprovided'between the gear 44 and the upper main bearing 38, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2- of tlie drawings.

I port the lower one 48 vof the sustaining and `Secured to the hollow shaft 43 are rigidly mounted iangeV sleeves 46-47 which supelevating'propellers. Thepropeller 48 is composed'of a horizontal bottom plate 49 to which the verticalvanes 50 are secured, the

vanes 50 having their inner edges curved in the direction ofi-movement ofztheA propeller and'their outer lower .edges 52 curved down- 'y wardly. and opposite to the direction of movement' of 'the propeller, as best shown in Fig. 6 of3the drawings. The vanes 50 have "their upper-edges curved and covered by a cov'eri'ng 53, thereby making the 'propellers 48 of an umbrella type, leaving,how

ever, a central opening through which the upper airl may pass tothe vanes 48 and to discharge them" beneath the same. The

y plate 49 andv vanes- 50 with the covering 53 are sustainedbycrossed rods 54 whichconnect -thefsameWith the sleeves 46-47, as is .-elearly vshown and'5 of the drawv 5 6 and 57 are sleeves similar to those '46 yand47and the'v sleeves 56 and .57 arepinned or otherwise.4 rigidly secured to the shaft 39- above the sleeve`47'-and these sleeves 56 and 57 sustain theupperone 58 ofthe raising q axfd sustainingjpropellers. The construction of the propeller 58 is precisely the same as thatoflthelpropeller 48, excepting in lieu of 'a bottoniy plate'the propeller 58 includ'esia' ring plate 59,'the`vanes 60 having l an inner edgej61 bent in-the directionof movement offthe propeller and the outer,

lower edges `6 2ci1rved ina direction oppositefto the movementof the propeller, while a covering 63.similar Vto that 53 is provided and the crossedsupporting rods 64 connect the sleeves withtlie vanes 60 and ring 39 has a bearing the lower plate 59 of the profpeller-58. The propellers 48 and 58 differy om one another further in that they are designed toturn in'opposite directions, thus the turning effect on the ma# chine of one of the propellers is effectively counteracted by the' turning effect ofthe'v Iother propeller.v The propeller 58 has a central passage 65 registering with that 55 of the propeller 48. The fuel "for running the engine may becarried in a tank 66 and piped up by pipes 67 to the enginein any approved manner. To operatively connect l and disconnect the propeller from the engine n' a clutch mechanism 68 is provided.A

So far as described, the manner in which i my invention operates is as follows: The 4machine being on the ground and-it being desired to start it in iight, the .engine 8 is. set into operation in the usual manner,

thereby setting the shafts 39 and 43 intofmoltion, the shafts 39 and 43 turningI inopposite directions and causing the respective propellers 48 and 59 to correspondingly turn. By'reason of theconstruction ofthe propellers 48 and 58 the air will be drawn down through the openings 65 and 55 and forced'out between the rings 59 andV cover- .ing 63 and the ring 49|.and covering 53 in thev direction of.- the -arrows on Fig. 2, thereby exerting a lifting effect on the machme.

The compensating rudder'31 is adjusted in,

order to prevent'turning of the machine should the torsional effectofthe turning ofl one propeller 48 'or158 exceed that of the Y other. Having arrived at the desired ele-A vation, the speed or rotation of the propellers 48'and 58 is so adjusted as to maintain the machine-at the altitude desired, after which the clutch mechanism 68 is operated to throw the forward propeller `11n into action. The machine Yis thereby driven forward, the direction of ight being controlled by the rudder 23 and by manipulating the rudder `27 the 4machine may be made to ascend or descend without changing the speed of-action of the propellers 48 `and 58, save when makingalanding. When 'it is desired to make a landing the speed chine .turning turtle is practically eliminated. Furthermore,'should the propellers 48 and 58 cease their turning for any'cause 'while the machine `is'fin the air, their umbrella shape will act Aas a -parachute and break the fall of 'the-machine to a considerable degree. If desired,the propeller 11 may be omitted and themachine .propelled forwardly by permitting the keel frame of the machine to downward at the for.:

, ward end s o that the shafts 43-49 willtilt i operation and advantages of 'forwardly and then speeding up the v4engine suiiiciently to prevent the machine from gliding downward. AThe equilibrium of the machine is further aided by the gyroscopic action of the propellers48 and 58.

From the. foregoing description,.taken in lconnection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction, my. invention will be readily apparent.' I I-Iaving thus described my invention, what .L I claim is;

1 In a flying machine, a keel iframe,A a

pair of oppositely rotatable propellers mounted on .a `vertical axis in said keel frame, a motor geared with said propellers for eifecting their rotation in opposlte di-V rections, each of said propellers 'including` ya plurality of radial vanes, umbrella-like coverings over said vanes, each of said propellers having a central-opening, and a closure plate .carried by the lowermost propeller beneath its central opening.'

2. .In an aerial navigating machine, a keelframe, a pair ofpropellers mounted on a common axis in said frame, means for effectmg opposite rotatlon of sald propellers, each yof said propellers including radial vanes,

umbrella-like coverings over: said vanes,

each of said propellers havin a central pas-l riphery of the-respective propellerto leave a space between said bottomV plate and the periphery of said propeller, substantially as shown and described.

3. In aflying mahine,a keel frame, a pair of oppositely ,rotatable propellers mounted. on avertical axis-in said keel frame', a mo' tor geared with fsaid propellersforefect! ing their rotation in LVop dsite directions,

each of .said propellers inc uding a plurality o radial vanes, umbrella-like". .coverings over said vanes, each of said pro ellers having a central opening, and a` c osurefplate carried4 by the 4lowermost propeller beneath its central opening,- said vanes having their ends against which the'air enters curved .in

the direction of rotation of the pro eller,

and their endsjfrom which the air eaves "curved in a direction oppositetothe 'direc- 60, ,tion ofrotatioiibf the propeller. 4. In Aan aerial navigating anac" keel frame, a pair ofgpropeller'sfmo don ' a. common axis in 'said' frame, lmei-ansfor elfectingopposite rotation of said propellers,

vanes, umbrella-like coverin land said last named 7. In an aerial navigating machine of the helicopter type, a keel `frame, apower plant each of said. propellers including radial over fl.' said vanes, each of lsaid propellers' aving fafcen tral passage, the uppermost propeller inf cludinga rlng'plate carried beneath 'said vanes and of less diameter thanA the periplfl ery of said propeller to leave a space tween said ring plate and the periphe of ing .a -bottom platesecured beneath said vanes, the diameter of which is less than the diameter of-the periphery of. the respective propeller to leave y a spacel between said bottom. plate and the periphery Aof said prothe propeller, the lowermost propeller av peller, said vanes having their ends against l which the air enterscurved 4inl the direction of rotationpf the propeller and their ends from which` the air leave'scurved in a dire'ction opposite to the directionof rotation of the propeller.

5. In an aerial navigating machine, a keell frame, a pair of. oppositely rotatable propellers mounted on a common axis in said keel frame, power mechanism for electing theopposite rotation of said propellers, a

compensating rudder coperative with said propellers and mounted on said keel vtrame to prevent turning ofsaid keel frame, a lateral direction rudder mounted'on said keel frame and analtitude or ascending and descending rudder also mounted on said keelframe, an aviators seat mounted on the said keel frame and means adjacent to the aviators seat for effecting the control ofall of said rudders, and means adjacent the aviators seat for effecting the'control of said o'wer-Inecha'nism 6.v n an aerial navigating machine, a keel frame, a pair/of oppositely rotatable proellers` mounted `o n a common xis in said keel frame, power mechanism or effecting the opposite rotation of said propellers, a

compensating rudder coperative lwith said.

propellers and mounted on said keel'rameto prevent turning of said keel frame, a direction rudder mounted on said keel frame andan altitudeor ascending and descending rudder also mounted on said keel frame, an aviators seat-mounted on the said keel frame and means adjacent to the aviators. seat fo;`

effecting the control of all of saidfruddexfs,

and .means adjacent the aviators seat for effecting the control of the said power mechanism, and a forward propellingv propeller mounted on said keel frame and transmlssion mechanism 'between said power mechanism propeller.

mountedl on said keel'frame,.- .main bearings mounted on said keel frame, a duplex shaft `mountedjin said bear1ngs,'rai sing .and sus-- taining propellersA mountedn said duplex shaft, transmisslon gearing between said power plant and said duplezshaft for eii'eot-l` trai passage, each ofsaidpro allers includl l vmg a rotation of said-propellers in opposite mg radial vanes and an-umbre la-like cover- 10 f ing an open ende directions, the upper of slald propelllrs having o,ver said radial valles.`

centra assage t e'l'ower Y one of said propellers having a central pas- ROBERTS" sage in communication with the central pas- Witnesses:

y `sage of the upper propeller and a closure C; H. S1'EFEN,

plateA for closing the lower endof said cenf l GnoixenSI'MMoNs.l 

